Bringing home a new puppy often includes many sup- plies, from food and treats
to crates and collars to toys and
training products. Manufacturers continue to launch products
specifically designed for these
small, active, immature family
members.

As with human babies, owners want to do the right thing for
their fur babies and get them off
to the best possible start, said
Ward Johnson, co-founder of Sojos in Minneapolis.

Retailers report a consumer
focus on stuffing-free toys, so
puppies can stay occupied without leaving ripped-out stuffing
everywhere, and gentle training
products that get the job done
with minimal risk of injury. For
example, owners buy more gentle collars, harnesses and leads
specifically designed to discourage tugging without stressing the
pup’s neck.

Pup-specific products also areon the rise, with manufacturersproviding treats sized and for-mulated for a young dog’s needsand toys designed with teethingcanines in mind. Nutrition rep-resents a large part of any pet’slife, and insiders report seeing atrend toward natural, healthfulproducts.“New puppy parents are ea-ger to learn and actively look-ing for the best way to ensure ahealthy start for their new fami-ly members,” Johnson said. “Itfollows that they’re looking forpuppy food with simple, honestingredients like they feed them-selves—with no byproducts, fill-ers or anything artificial and, ofcourse, nothing from China.”In the nutrition arena, Johnsonreported seeing “a fundamen-tal shift to healthful, high-qual-ity raw diets,” which movedshelf-stable raw alternatives froma niche “to a legitimate challengerto the long-standing dominanceof traditional food forms.”To capitalize on all the puppyproduct sales, retailers said dis-counts and product demonstra-tions with coupons go a long wayin helping to make the sale. Theyalso recommend rememberingthat shoppers love to touch, testand feel products, so merchandis-ing products in such a way to en-able a personal experience helpsas well.Many stores provide puppyowners with information sheetsor handbooks that offer import-ant information for raising anew puppy, along with educa-tion about helpful and effectiveproducts.“Ensure that team membersare well versed on all thingspuppy—from food and treats toteething toys and training aids,”Johnson recommended. “For petspecialty retailers, it’s the perfectopportunity to introduce newusers to the benefits of a safe, af-fordable raw food—and establisha feeding regimen, and customerloyalty, that will continue foryears to come.“Consider creating puppy-focused shelf-sets or end-aisles,”he added. “Maybe even invitenew puppy owners to displaytheir ‘baby’ photos.

“Above all, don’t miss the
opportunity to introduce new
users to the convenience, safety and affordability of uncompromised raw food and treats
like Sojos,” he said. “There’ll
never be a better time to build
long-standing customer relationships than the first few
months of puppy ownership.”

Growing Puppy Product SalesRetailers can capitalize on the excitementand product essentials of new puppyowners by providing education andmerchandise for all little pups’ needs.

SOJOS presents Sojos Complete Puppy Food in Turkey & Salmon Recipe. The raw,shelf-stable food category’s first life-stage food is specially formulated to meet the uniquenutritional demands of a puppy’s first formative year. Turkey & Salmon Recipe includes leanturkey, omega-rich salmon and select superfoods. Just add water and the quick five-minutesoak time means virtually no waiting for hungry puppies. Sojos also offers Simply Puppytreats.sojos.coma

TRIBORO MANUFACTURING offers Tall
Tails Puppy Gift Sets, a great way for customers to welcome home a new member of
their family. The three-piece set includes a
luxurious fleece blanket, a Waterwoof Pad
with triple-layer protection to guard against
accidents and a Squeaky Soft Bone toy. Best
Buddy Gift Sets are for welcoming home or
treating larger dogs. The sets include the
same items as the Puppy Gift Sets, but with
larger sizes of products. talltailsdog.com

ZUKE’S offers Puppy Naturals, part of
its Mini Naturals line. Puppy Naturals
are tiny morsels packed with protein,
and they contain vitamin A, C and
E, and DHA and EPA to help support
healthy brain development, the company states. The USA-made treats contain
no harsh additives, preservatives, grain,
wheat, corn or soy. zukes.com

NATURAL BALANCE PET FOODS’ L.I.D.

Limited Ingredient Diets Lamb & Brown
Rice Dry Puppy Formula offers high-quality
nutrition with a limited number of protein
and carbohydrate sources. It features DHA
from salmon oil to help support neural development as well as kibble specifically shaped
for smaller jaws. naturalbalanceinc.com

POOCHIE-PETS’Snuggle Buddy Blanket offers comfort when
owners can’t be with their pets. Owners can rub the blanket on
their arm or sleep with it for a few nights to release their scent.

The machine-washable blanket is handcrafted in the USA of the
highest-quality minky polyester fabric. It measures 16 in. by 23 in.